Japan stint for 30 junior Astro shuttlers

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KUCHING: Kem Badminton Astro’s selected top 30 junior players aged between 11 and 13 recently went for a two-week advanced training in Tokyo, Japan, as part of the collaboration between Astro Kasih and Nippon Badminton Association.

As part of the intensive training by Japanese national coaches at the Ajinomoto National Training Centre, the junior shuttlers went for different training programmes and trained together with Japan’s Kanto Junior Athlete Academy.

Astro chief executive officer Dato Rohana Rozhan said it was great to see the young shuttlers who had come so far since the company first launched Kem Badminton Astro in November last year.

“Each and every one of the 30 young players selected showed great potential and promise. I hope the training between the Kem Badminton Astro team and the Kanto Junior Athlete Academy team will not only enhance their badminton skills but allow them to make new friends, appreciate new cultures and above all continue to dream and aspire to be the next badminton champ. I am particularly pleased that a few of our kids are resolved to represent Malaysia in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo,” she said.

Norio Noto, general manager of Nippon Badminton Association said: “The Kem Badminton Astro programme is truly a wonderful programme, allowing both Malaysian and Japanese participants to exchange and learn training techniques from one another.

“I am so proud of the Malaysian players’ performance, their spirit and commitment throughout the entire training here in Japan. They showed tremendous progress and adapted well to the Japanese training techniques,” said Kem Badminton Astro head coach from Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) Muhtasham Katan.

“In fact, the Japanese coaches are impressed by many of the Kem Badminton Astro participants’ badminton skills and are confident that some of them will become national champions,” he added.

Meanwhile, one of the top 30 finalists, 13-year-old Kho Yap Hong from Johor Bharu said: “I loved badminton since I was nine years old and today I am so happy to be part of the Kem Badminton Astro training in Japan. I learnt so much especially about physical training, being discipline and having a positive attitude with a strong ‘spirit’. I hope I can come back to Tokyo again and represent Malaysia in the 2020 Olympic Games.”

Another finalist, 12-year-old Nur Syaza Roshidi from Kedah said: “I am so happy to be here in Tokyo, Japan. During these two weeks, I learnt so much more new techniques, strategies and skills from the Japanese national coaches. Even though the Japanese coaches spoke in Japanese, we understood because we use the same “badminton language”. I am sure I can apply my new skills back home in Malaysia.”

Demond Anthony Samin, 11, from Sabah added: “I feel so proud and happy that I was chosen as one of the top 30 players to train with the Japan national coaches here in Tokyo, Japan. I also enjoyed myself and made a lot of new friends while training with Japan’s Kanto Junior Athlete Academy Team. Also as a team, I felt we became stronger. It was really an experience that I will never forget. Thank you, Astro.”

Over 2,800 participants from all over Malaysia took part in the try out sessions.